tell (on)

verb

Definition of tell (on)next
1
as in to affect
to act upon (a person or a person's feelings) so as to cause a response the pressure of final exams is beginning to tell on the students in the dorm

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to talk
to give information (as to the authorities) about another's improper or unlawful activities detectives convinced the perpetrators in custody to tell on their associates

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tell (on)
  1. affect
  2. talk
  3. influence
  4. inform
  5. impress
  6. impact
  7. touch
  8. strike
Verb
  • For example, someone may use your insurance information to obtain treatment, leaving behind records that could affect future care or insurance claims.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Duker pointed to disrupting throwing lanes and playing tighter coverage as ways to affect the quarterback even when the rush falls short.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of affect
Verb
  • Notice that response before talking yourself into the option everyone expects.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 11 Nov. 2026
  • In his analysis of the incident, Prescott said the two officers waited down the hallway while the social workers first attempted to talk to Everard Walker.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of talk
Verb
  • Johnson allegedly influenced district school board members to approve the purchase, including arranging a meeting between the reseller’s CEO and district officials, according to the complaint.
    — Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The authors used data from 864 dogs collected in the Dog Aging Project to map patterns of DNA methylation (which influences how much certain genes are turned on or off) across the entire genome.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of influence
Verb
  • The statutory maximum is life in prison, Lett informed Désir, should he be found guilty.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Several years later, he was informed that his brain contained a moderate accumulation of amyloid plaques.
    — Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of inform
Verb
  • The Raiders went through a walk-through rather than a full practice, but wide receiver Tre Tucker said Mendoza impressed even in that setting.
    — Mark Anderson, Chicago Tribune, 12 Nov. 2026
  • Beck saw limited preseason action due to a rib injury but impressed in the Hall of Fame Game against the Carolina Panthers in August.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of impress
Verb
  • According to Live Nation, which runs the venue, production configuration and atmospheric conditions — meaning the weather — can impact sound.
    — Conor Wight, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Homeowners were hit this year with a 13% property tax increase, and the mayor’s office hasn’t responded to a Herald inquiry about how the latest cost hike would impact residential tax bills.
    — Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of impact
Verb
  • Radar tracks finger pressure Unlike conventional touchscreens, EpiPad does not require users to touch a display.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Shaq’s chat with LaPaglia touched on such topics as spending habits, autopay, managing debt and not running your parents’ card into the ground.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of touch
Verb
  • Last year, she was arrested in London while supporting hunger-striking pro-Palestinian activists.
    — Khalil Hamra, Los Angeles Times, 11 Nov. 2026
  • The driver in the vehicle struck by Wilson was temporarily trapped and later died from his injuries.
    — DeJanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of strike
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

tell off
tell (on)
tells
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Cite this Entry

“Tell (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tell%20%28on%29. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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